


Present

by ValiantElisa



Series: Present, Past, and Future (In that order) [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: BAMF Original Character, Dragons, Existential Crisis, F/F, F/M, Future AU, M/M, Merlin has a lot of secrets ok, Post-Magic Reveal, Post-Series, Time Travel, Warning: Cliffhanger, confused arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-03-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 23:04:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3428837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValiantElisa/pseuds/ValiantElisa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The future part of "once-and-future king" has come at last, but is Arthur even a king anymore? Can Merlin reconcile his new life with his old when the past interrupts the present? And when the entire Old Religion and even magic itself is in danger of fading, can a solution be found?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur awakes, but finds the world has changed more than he thought possible. Merlin isn't sure which secrets can be told and which have to be kept from everyone- even Naomi.

Flashes of light through water.

Noises calling out.

Pressure on his arm, on his back.

Bright light. Cold air. Air? Where was the water? Dark.

Warm. Soft. Light.

A girl with a halo of white light through black hair. "Awake." Her eyes flash gold. Arthur sleeps.

*

When Arthur wakes the first time, his head is still swimming. He's covered with blankets, but he pushes those away as he sits up. A bandage covers his chest, why?  _I was stabbed._ What happened? Memories hit him.  _Mordred with a sword. Morgana in the forest with a sword -his sword- sprouting from her stomach. The Lake. Merlin. Magic. "Thank you." What-_ _  
_

A hand pushes Arthur back into the cushions. A man leans over the bed. "Lay down, you shouldn't be awake." When Arthur doesn't respond, still looking lost, he softens, "It's gonna be okay." The familiar voice and familiar form finally ring a bell in Arthur's mind.

"Merlin."

The man-Merlin- nods. "Arthur. You're back."

That doesn't make any sense. He's back? From the lake? No, he was dying, he was dead, and now-?

"Arthur, it's ok. You're alive now." He must have said that out loud. He can still hear the lake in his head, water rushing past his ears. Now? So he wasn't alive before?

The room was getting dark again. "It's ok."

*

When Arthur wakes the second time, Merlin is sitting on the bed by Arthur's feet, leaning against the wall, twisting his fingers together and staring at the floor. "Merlin." Merlin looks over, "You're awake again." Merlin's eyes seem older, and Arthur feels like there is something... off about Merlin. "Where are we?" Arthur tries to sit up, but Merlin leans over and pushes him down again. "It's hard to explain." Secrets, still? "Try." Merlin sighs. "Well,"

*

"A thousand years!?"

"Well more like fifteen hundred.

*

"She's your daughter?" Merlin nods again. "Where is she now?" Arthur turns his head to see the whole room; it's tiny, with only a small bed, a dresser, and a table stacked with dirty dishes. But no dark-haired girl. "Her name is Naomi. She's twenty," out of the corner of his eye Arthur sees Merlin shake his head, "she's too old to listen to me and too young to listen to any sense." Arthur turns his head back in time to catch Merlin's half-smile.  _Merlin's really a father?_ It seems so odd to think of Merlin that way, but that must be what seemed different about Merlin earlier: he was older. About a thousand years older, sustained by his magic powers or something.  _How is that possible? He looks almost exactly the same._ It was true; only slightly different, like he had only aged 10 years instead of a hundred times that.  _Magic._ Arthur's mind helpfully supplied. Arthur wasn't sure if he'd forgiven Merlin for keeping such an important secret for years, but he felt no anger. Only weariness. "Where is she?" Merlin looked up again, it seemed they were both lost in thought. "Great Ormond." At Arthur's blank look, "the hospital. She's a midwife and she heals sick children." 

"With magic?" Merlin eyes catches Arthur's at that word, but Merlin doesn't look afraid. "Sometimes." Arthur nods, going back to staring at the ceiling. 

Healing children with magic isn't bad. Right?

*

 The next time Arthur awakes, he is aware of somebody laying next to him. He turns on his side slowly. It's the black-haired girl, sleeping soundly.  _Naomi_ , his brain supplies.  _Merlin's daughter._ The fact that he's laying next to a sorcerer and is ok with it is not as surprising as the fact that that sorcerer is Merlin's daughter. Arthur looks around the room, but Merlin isn't there.  _At the hospital?_   When Naomi doesn't stir under his attention, Arthur leans on the wall and surveys the room. The torches(?) on the ceiling don't flicker ( _magic?)_ and the words on the posters covering the walls, 'Metallica', 'The Killers', and 'Are we over the rainbow yet?' only confuse him further. The window is dark, and green numbers (3:10) stand on the table across from the bed.

Arthur's thoughts are interrupted when Naomi turns over, frowning. "No, no." "Naomi?" She doesn't respond, but keeps mumbling. _She's still sleeping!_ Memories of Morgana's nightmares that were actually visions filled Arthur's head. Do all sorcerers have visions? A scream breaks up his panicked wonderings, and he grabs her shoulders and shakes her, "Wake up!" Her eyes snap open. 

"Arthur."

*

She's pacing now, striding up and down the length of the small room in the loose clothes she was sleeping in. Suddenly, she stops and turns to him, "Look, Arthur..." He waits, but she doesn't go on. "Yes?" She huffs and resumes pacing, "Look, my dad will kill me if he knew about my dream, so can you not tell him?"

Secrets. Arthur knows,  _god he knows_ , that they can be deadly. But he nods. Naomi doesn't even stop talking.

"He doesn't want me doing magic in front of you for some reason. Says it'll freak you out. Like any friend of Emrys could be freaked out by any magic I can do- which isn't a lot, mind you." 

Merlin doesn't want him to see magic? Arthur doesn't know if thats a good thing or a bad thing. 

"Emrys?" That gets her to stop pacing. She turns back to him, her brow furrowed. "Really? You're not joking? You don't know?"

Arthur shakes his head. There is so much he doesn't know. 

Naomi can't believe this. _If Arthur doesn't know about Emrys then what else doesn't he know?_ Her dad told her not to tell Arthur anything, but her dad acted so natural, as if it was everyday he showed up at their apartment with a half-drowned formerly-dead king from the freaking Dark Ages and when she asks him where he came from, he says The Lake. Great, that makes sense. Thanks dad.

And now Arthur sits in front of her, asking for answers.  _If I was in his place..._

Well of course she'd want as many answers as she could get.  _I'm sure one conversation wouldn't hurt..._

*

5:45. Her dad should be home any second. After Naomi told Arthur who Emrys was, the questions kept coming. She answered all of the ones she could; he could be a useful ally in arguments against her dad. Arthur was sitting up now on the edge of the bed, looking better. His wound healed surprisingly quickly considering her dad told her it killed him before. Well, that may be because she used life magic against her father's wishes. It seemed doing things her dad didn't want is a habit.

The lock clicked open on the door, making Arthur jump. Poor guy. Naomi smiled at him, but it quickly faded when her dad came in.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, Merlin turned to Arthur, telling him to lay down, and why was he awake? But Naomi stepped in, "That's not necessary."

Merlin swung around, "You healed him?"

Naomi nodded, "I did yesterday. Right after he got here."

"So right after I told you not to. Naomi-"

"Yeah I know what you told me, but it was stupid-"

"You're actions were stupid, you don't understand the danger-"

"Oh right, because my powers are a danger but yours aren't."

"That's not what I -"

"Stop! I'm right here," Arthur stood up in between them, full of memories of his arguments with Uthur. "What happened is in the past."

"Exactly, and that's why we should talk about the future," Naomi rushed out,  _oh her dad is gonna be mad_   "That's why I think we should tell Arthur."

"Naomi!" "Tell me what?"

"I mean, what other reason is there for him to be back?" "Naomi he's not ready-" "Don't tell me what I'm not!"

Naomi had started pacing again, but as she stepped by, Merlin grabbed her hand, "This isn't even about him is it?"

She half-smiled, her eyes determined,

"Of course not, this is about the dragons."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm new at writing on AO3. Feel free to comment.
> 
> Also high-five to those who got my joke that Arthur didn't get that reference.


	2. Temple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur doesn't believe anything until he sees it, and even then... Naomi is pretty sure she stepped into an Indiana Jones movie. Merlin is this close to smacking Arthur upside his head.

 

“It doesn’t even matter- they won’t survive in this world anyway.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. We can’t leave them there to rot in a vault. You’ve gotten an egg from an enchanted thing or something before right?”

“I regret telling you that story.”

“Well tough, but you told me. And I’m going. So the question is are you going to help or not?”

“I’ll help.” Naomi flashes Arthur a grateful look, but Merlin reminds him: “Arthur you don’t even know what we’re talking about.”

“True,” he nods, “You can tell me on the way. I’m done staying cooped up in here. I’m healed, and now I’m ready to go do whatever this is. Let’s go.” Naomi turns, smiles and hugs her dad, “Thanks! Now let’s go save some dragons.”

Naomi doesn’t give her dad another chance to disagree, but marches to the door, dragging Arthur behind her. _He’s lucky, that one. Dad never gives in like that._

“Wait, what? We’re saving dragons?”

Naomi gives him a look, like what do you mean, “Of course. Dragons sound pretty awesome. And besides if you worried about them misbehaving, my dad is a Dragonlord.” Arthur’s eyebrows jump up, and turns to stare down Merlin, “Really. Is he?”

Merlin smacks his head, but follows them out the door. They better take the car; he can’t imagine taking dragon eggs on the Underground.

 

*

“What is that?”

“Just get in.”

“It’s a car, dear.”

*

“Is this magic?”

“They won’t even be able to hatch, You know that right. The Old Religion is fading, you know this Naomi,”

“How fast are we going?”

“and even if there was a High Preiestess somewhere, where on earth- literally- would we put 3 dragon hatchlings?"

“Wait, what do you mean the Old Religion is fading?”

“Why do you ask?” Merlin's voice is full of venom;  _Of course Arthur would be happy his oldest enemy is dying. Of course he wouldn’t understand that the only reason he returned at all is because the-_

“Dad, its alright. Look, I’m sure the presence of a bunch- I mean three brand new dragons is enough to spice up the magic again.”

“Oh I’m sure that won’t happen.”

“Yeah, that’s dad for you have no idea. Don’t try and sass me, I’m the Sass Master.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. And Arthur?” He looks over. “The Triple Goddess is the only reason you are alive again. Show some respect.”

She turns to the window, ignoring the surprised look that’s frozen on Arthur’s face. How dare she talk to him like that! He’s the king of Camelot! But as the drive goes on, Arthur calms down and realizes that with no Camelot in sight, and a thousand years of distance, he might be the king of a kingdom, but Arthur knows that a king with no people is not a king at all.

*

Merlin drives. He can’t believe Naomi just slapped Arthur and they weren’t in a duel to the death. Merlin honestly didn’t know who would win. At his side, Naomi studiously stares out the window. He glances over, but he knows she won’t look at him. He’s been taciturn lately, and too short with her too many times. Because he’s been worried. Worried about Arthur and what he will think of this new world and Merlin’s place here, worried this foolish plan to rescue eggs, and before that, worried about magic, about the Old Religion, about gods he doesn’t believe in anymore. He should talk to Naomi, explain things to her, he knows she deserves that at least, but he can’t quite bring himself to do it.

The car is silent. Before he knows it, they are there.

He pulls the car to the side of the road, kills it, and steps out. The forest around them hums and the pressure in his head increases. When he turns back, both Arthur and Naomi are out of the car. He locks it with magic, and searches out for the entrance Naomi read about.

Through the forest, over the bridge, through more forest, _Naomi will make a joke about it, I’m sure,_ past a bush and into a cave. It’s amazing it withstood this long. Merlin returns to his body in time to hear Arthur complain, “Why did we stop in the middle of nowhere?”

Merlin rolls his eyes and opens his mouth but Naomi gets there first. “This land is sacred. We’re not gonna roll in with a car. Jeez.” Arthur looks abashed, and, glad he’s shut up, Merlin motions toward the forest. “The way is through there.” Naomi bounds forward, halfway through the brush already, “Awesome! Allons-y!” Merlin rolls his eyes. This was a bad idea.

*

“We go over this bridge?”

“Yeah.”

“So we’re going…over the river…and then through these woods?”

“Yep.”

“Perfect.”

*

The cave is dark and scary, and exactly like Naomi imagines, so she almosts missed it when her dad called out, “Wait! There’s a trap.” She stops, and steps back.

“God I hope so, I was beginning to think we were in the wrong place.”

Merlin chews on his lip, “This spell is complicated… give me a moment.”

Naomi shrugs, and leans on a tree a few paces away from the entrance. After a few seconds of watching Merlin stare angrily at the rocks, Arthur follows her. Naomi watched as Arthur came over and leaned on a tree near hers. “How are you doing?” Just a shrug. “I mean, you were kind of dead not a week ago.”

“I’m fine.”

“Uhhuh.”

“What did Merlin mean when he said the Old Religion is fading?” Naomi narrowed her eyes, _this again?_ “He meant exactly what he said, it’s a bad habit of his. Why does it matter to you? I thought you…didn’t-“

“I know what I- what I-. I know what happened before, but if it matters to Merlin then-“

“Well, it doesn’t, not really.” Naomi wonders again why turned her father away from the goddess; she could never imagine being without her faith. “What do you mean?” Naomi sighs, looking over to her father. “He doesn’t worship the gods, not anymore.”

Arthur looks up through the leaves to the sky. Merlin doesn’t worship the gods? Why?

“Hey guys? I’m done. It’s safe-or it should be.”

“Oh wow, nice confidence. I’ll go first, naturally- oh dad really?”

Arthur stepped closer to see Merlin standing smiling in the entrance to the cave and Naomi with her hands on her hips. “I wanted to go first.”

“Sorry.” Merlin turned into the dark, and stepped forward, with an inexplicable torch lit in his hands. Arthur followed them.

 

The cave was dark and damp and after the first 2 minutes, it sucked. “Where are the freaking dragons?”

“What were you expecting a map and a gift shop?”

“No, what, No. Just like a cave full of eggs, not this labyrinth.” Naomi could feel something as she followed her dad through the stone hallways. She looked closer at the walls, _that kind of looked like letters_ ,

“Hey, I think there’s writing on here.”

Merlin didn’t stop, “I’m sure there is. This has been a temple for a long time.”

Naomi knew some words, but couldn’t read it all. Okay, she only knew one word.

“It says ‘Emrys’. Dad why is your name on the wall of an old cave?” Merlin sighed and retraced his steps. Arthur looked over Naomi’s shoulder, but couldn’t make sense out of the scratches on the wall.

“It says, ‘The ones to unite Albion are Emrys who is the lord over vermes and the once-and-future king who is Pendragon.’”

“What, it doesn’t even rhyme. It’s totally not legit. Right?”

“Well, it’s real, I don’t know about ‘legit’.”

“For real, that’s an actual prophecy? What language is it in?”

“Yes, just like the ones I told you about. It’s written in an old Druid language.”

“Oh. Ok. Let’s keep going. I’ll keep an eye out for more creepy stuff on the wall.”

Merlin made an agreeing sound and they moved on.

Arthur took a deep breath; he hadn’t realized he’d been holding it. He had heard Merlin speak of a prophecy before, and Naomi told him about Emrys, but to see it like this, on the random wall of a random cave, it made it all the more real. The torch-light faded as they turned a corner, and Arthur hurried to catch up.

The hallway opened to a circular room, with a tall ceiling. Merlin hung his torch on the wall and stepped to inspect a dusty book on a podium. A long, low table sat in the middle of the room, and Arthur absentmindedly brushed his hand over the gold-lain objects. Naomi scrutinized the wall. Of course, it was her who found something.

“Dad, what is this list?”

“What’s it a list of, honey?” Merlin mumbled, unwanting to step away from the book. He had one at home, but this one had folded pages inserted inside it with amazing spells that seemed impossible.

“A list of names.”

“Oh yeah.”

“Whose Nimueh? And Morgause? And- oh, I know Morgana.”

Both Arthur’s and Merlin’s heads snapped up. Naomi just continued, unaware, “That’s the end of the list, but its really long before that. Goes on and on. Who are these people?”

Merlin steps closer, looking at the beginning, “The earlier names are scratched out.”

“ But who are they?”

“It’s a list of all the High Priestesses.”

“Oh.”

Arthur doesn’t move. His name, Merlin’s, and now Morgana’s is written on the walls of a random cave. Is this even real?

Merlin and Naomi were still talking, “No, they’re all in the same handwriting, the custodian of the temple or something?”

“Or something, “ Merlin agreed.

“Why is Morgana last? Who is after her?”

“No one. The line ended with her death.”

Naomi stopped, eyes wide. Ended? That seemed very wrong. In a small voice she wondered, “Is that why the Old Religion is dying?”

Merlin just nodded, subdued.

“Let’s go,” he softly pulled her arm toward the exit of the circle room. “Eggs to catch.”

*

The cramped passageway opens to a large cavern with a low ceiling. With a flash of his eyes, Merlin lights the torches on the wall. Arthur jumps, and then swears.

The floor is covered with miniature pedestals, on top of which sit eggs of all sizes and colors. Naomi kneels down and runs a finger down a light blue egg the size of her head.

“Naomi! I thought there were three.”

Naomi stands and turns to him, her black hair swishing, “Yeah, about that…”

“How many are there?"

"Well.... about 47.”

Merlin pinches the bridge of his nose, and takes a couple of deep breaths. When he looks up, Arthur and Naomi still aren’t quite done laughing. He can’t imagine Arthur looking happy around a bunch of dragons, but it’s happening, and Merlin just goes with it.

“Well, Naomi, you just earned the chore of carrying them all out of here.”

“Aww, really dad?”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anybody else start singing that song?
> 
> No? Ok.


	3. Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shopping spree with a side of angst.

 

 

 

The eggs looked obscene in the London apartment, but that was the safest option for them. With Naomi and Merlin’s schedule at the hospital, someone was always in the room, (usually they were sleeping), but Arthur was there too. He was always there.

 

*

 

“Dad, I’m taking Arthur shopping. He can’t keep wearing your old sweats, he looks ridiculous, and besides he looks as if he’s about to explode with boredom.”

“Do people normally explode with boredom?”

“Not around me, they don’t.”

“Mhmm. Fine. Just be quiet. Nap time.”

 

They left, shutting the door quietly. Naomi locked the door with a flash of her eyes. Arthur looked taken aback, but Naomi winked, “We lost our keys awhile back.”

“Will he be okay by himself and the eggs?”

Naomi just gives him The Eyebrow (she learned it from her dad who was The Eyebrow King), “Dad can defeat like anything in his sleep. He’s pretty cool.”

“I’m sure that’s his official title.”

“Oh it is.”

 

They walked down the back stairs to the ground floor, but Naomi stopped him before the door to the street. “Ok, listen up. This is gonna be different than the garage. Things are gonna be weird and they’re gonna freak you out, I promise, but just, don’t freak out, ok?”

Arthur narrowed his eyes. “Define weird.”

“Well,” Naomi opened the door on the busy street. They weren’t on King’s Road or anything, but it was still a shock for Middle Ages Arthur.

She closed the door. “What. The. H-“ She sighed.

This was going to take longer than she thought.

 

*

 

“Ok, so this is the men’s clothes, just look around and try some stuff on, I’ve got about £200 so we can buy a bit… You have no idea what I just said, do you?”

Arthur shook his head.

Naomi sighed, caught Arthur’s look, and sighed again, “Oh, it’s not your fault, calm down. I’ll help.”

 

 

“So you haven’t really freaked out yet, how’re you doing?”

She held up a red shirt to him, _yeah, that’s his color_ , and added it to the pile.

“Well, this place-”

“London”

“Yeah, is pretty…”

“Big? Busy? Full of people?” Another shirt goes up, this one blue. She should probably buy him more than just t-shirts, but _boy do those biceps deserve to be shown off._

“Light. There are so many lights. Isn’t it night?”

“Yeah, it’s about 11 o’clock. My dad probably left for Great Ormond by now.”

“He just left the eggs alone?”

“Well he probably warded them or something, but yeah, saving people’s lives is more important than being mother hen to a bunch of dragons.” Arthur just shrugged. 

Another shirt goes up, a green one. That’s enough then, she steers them to the pants. _Denim is so his thing. She just knows it. Did they have denim in the 10 th century? They missed out._

“But you like it here? The city?”

“Well, I guess. How big is the city?”

“Oh, it’s big. About 10 million.”

Naomi doesn’t think she’s ever seen Arthur eyes wider, even in the elevator.

“10 million!?”

Naomi nods, “Yeah.”

“How are they all fed?”

_First thing he thinks about his feeding them all, wow he really is a king._

 

They walked through the store, Naomi adding things to the pile in her arms.

 

“Wait, you said Merlin would ward the eggs.” Naomi nods, holding up pants to see if they fit. “Does that really work, how many sorcerers are there in… the city?”

“London. And I’m sure there are a few besides me and my dad, but A: they wouldn’t dare mess with me- ok mostly my dad- and B: no one believes in magic anymore.”

Arthur cocked his head, “How come?”

“Well, people started relying on science instead, and those with magic grew smart and withheld their powers.”

Her tone grew darker; “Also, there was no High Priestess for hundreds of years, not since Morgana anyway, and that may have had something to do with it.”

“Oh.”

 

The pile in Naomi’s arms had reached critical levels, “Ok, I think this is enough for now.” She set the clothes in his arms, “Go into _there_ ,” She pointed, “and try them on to see if they fit. Then come out and I’ll tell you if they fit.” Naomi sat down in front of the mirrors and waited.

 

Her phone buzzed. It was Gabriel.

 

911 X alert

What did he do now?

He left 14 drunken vms.

Oh honey. Don’t call him back.

I won't 

Really?

No I already did

Sigh. Ur killing me

I kno. Lov u N

 

 

Naomi was going to kill two people and their names were Gabriel and Jamie. They were always breaking up and getting back together, and even though they were her oldest friends, Naomi couldn’t deal with them right now. She had bigger problems.

Specifically, her dad’s old King.

 

Who was currently MIA in the dressing room. When would her problems end?

She finally lured Arthur out, but he looked worse. Worried.

“How can I be a king? You say Albion-“

“England”

“Whatever, is already united, but the prophecy in the temple said I was the one who was supposed to do that, but I didn’t. What am I even doing alive?”

“Arthur,” her voice was full of pity. “Arthur.”

“What,” he snapped.

“You put that on backwards.”

Arthur sighed, and stepped back into the little room to change.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arthur in an elevator? Priceless.


	4. Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur decides that magic isn't all bad.

Days passed. 

 

Merlin and his daughter worked at the hospital and Arthur stayed inside the tiny apartment with the eggs. 

 

Naomi said they were no threat and that baby dragons were probably adorable. Merlin said the eggs were enveloped in a powerful sleeping spell that didn't harm the dragonets inside, and didn’t allow them to hatch.

 

But Naomi had obviously never seen a fully grown dragon before, never stood on the wrong side of dragon-fire, _never crouched in the mud with good men at his side only to lose them one by one-_

 

And Merlin kept too many secrets. (Not that Arthur supposed he even knew when Merlin was lying anymore) 

A Dragonlord? Every adventure from their past had to be reevaluated. How much did Merlin do for him? How much did Merlin’s _help_ influence the kingdom, or Arthur’s crown? Was Arthur even a king, or just a puppet?

 

 

Neither spoke any more of the Old Religion or of any fading at all, but Arthur could hear them whispering when he was at the door. He couldn't make out exactly what they were saying, only that they were arguing. They argue so much, but Arthur can tell they don't mean it. They love each other. More than he and Uthur ever did. 

 

Arthur wondered what would happen if the Old Religion faded. Did that mean the gods died? He understood that Merlin and Naomi would be (in Naomi's words) screwed, but Arthur's feelings confused him. Should he be upset that his friends are losing their powers? Or rejoicing now that magic is breathing its last? 

 

He spent days laying around staring at the walls missing his kingdom, missing his wife _-Oh, Gwen-_

No, best not to think of that, or the thoughts would crush him. _A thousand years of missed memories._

He didn't miss Merlin- the Merlin of the past. Arthur understood now that that Merlin was lies. He rationally knew that past-Merlin only wanted to help him and Albion, but his methods…

Arthur knew now that all sorcerers aren't evil. 

How could magic be evil when Naomi had magic? She was- innocent, and different than any other woman Arthur had ever met in his life before. Part of that was her magic, he new, part of it was the weird world she lived in, but part of that was also having Merlin as a father. 

 

Arthur rationally knew that a thousand years is a long time to spend alone, so Naomi probably isn't even Merlin's only child. But he has to wonder about Naomi's mother. Where was she? Does she have magic, and does she know her daughter does as well? Arthur wanted to ask, but Merlin shied away from him every time Arthur came close. Whenever they were alone, Merlin was silent, and never started conversations. Arthur wondered what he had done wrong. Merlin said he forgave him for his past actions against magic, but was he lying?

 

 

 

Footsteps pounded in the hall.

"Call me if Mrs. L goes into labor but otherwise... leave me ALONE." 

She slammed the door and huffed in, giving Arthur a dark look like _don't talk about it_ , and immediately went to the squashy yellow chair and the old book Merlin had taken from the circle room in the temple. 

Naomi had been spending most of her free time reading as much of that book as she could make out. Most of it was in a twisted looking language that neither Arthur nor Naomi could make heads or tails of.

Her dad had taken out the inserted pages saying they were dangerous or something equally lame, but either way they were written in the same language as the prophecy on the wall. 

But as she turned the wrinkled old pages, she came to a sheet that was clearly added later; the binding was in a different color thread and the page was whiter than the others, as well as a different size. Obviously important. 

Naomi smiled. _Jackpot_.

The ink was red, and the handwriting was familiar. It was her own. 

Her smile faded.

 

It was her own, but twisted like the pen was shaking. Shaking? Or writing with her left hand? Like she didn't want anyone to recognize it except herself. Was she sending herself a message? 

Wait, this doesn't make any sense. She's sending herself a message from the past? Through a book her dad found in a cave? How is that possible? And since when does she write in some old language? She can't get her dad to translate it, he would take it away and she would never see it again. 

But she absolutely has to know what this says.

Mm. A very tricky problem. Naomi tilted her head and thought. 

 

 

Arthur glared at the eggs, like it was their fault he was stuck inside guarding them. But it wasn't their fault, not really. He doesn’t leave because he doesn't want to. Arthur doesn't recognize the world outside anymore, and even if he did, there are no answers out there. Arthur doesn't know if the confused questions inside him can even be answered, but he can guess that if they could, Merlin would be the one to do it. Good thing he knows where Merlin will be. Arthur will just have to wait and see. 

Naomi's staring at the wall now, lost in thought. Arthur wonders what she's thinking. 

 

 *

"Oh! I've got it." Naomi's exclamation interrupts Arthur's dark thoughts. She stands up and rushes to the table where the other magic books lay. Her eyes flash and a book flips open inexplicably and slides over to sit open in front of her. 

Arthur's on his feet, except he doesn't know what he's doing: he's seen Naomi do magic before but this time it seemed different. Maybe it was because it was just Naomi, just Merlin's daughter, but her magic didn't seem dangerous.

He knew his past self would not have come to this conclusion. Not calmly, and not without death. Arthur shook his head to clear his thoughts. Best to leave the past to the past.

He stepped forward to see what Naomi was doing. 

 

She put her hands on either side of the open book, and leaned over it. She started chanting in a strange language. "What are you trying to do?" Arthur interrupted. She stopped and turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Well?" He gestured to the book. "What are you doing?" 

She sighed, "I want to be able to read this language. My dad said it was Druid or something, and I know Druid languages are imbued with magic, because they use it so often it's just really efficient for it to be-“ She shook her head, as if remembering who she was talking to. “Anyway. It means I should be able to put the language in my head with magic. Easy Peasy." 

Again, magic that seemed beneficial. Locking doors, learning tongues, and hiding valuable things that shouldn't be stolen (like 50 dragon eggs). Magic seemed to be more than just wildly killing people. Maybe it was just Naomi and Merlin. Maybe Arthur has just altered his opinion.

 

Naomi resumed chanting, with Arthur standing next to her. Now that he was closer, and not worried Naomi would attack him with her magic, he noticed she was reciting a long monologue that didn't repeat. Arthur remembered sorcerers yelling single words, or short phrases and he wondered if this difference was an effect of the fading. 

She stopped, her eyes flashed gold, and she sagged, putting her head on the table and taking deep breaths. 

Arthur awkwardly pats her back wondering if it worked, _Is all magic draining like this?_ Before he can ask any questions, she recovered and rushed toward the abandoned book on the chair, flipping to a page. She sat down and read it. Her eyes widened. 

"Arthur. I found it."

 

 

 The door opened. Naomi jumped up.

"Dad"-she took a breath, "YouwillneverbelievewhatIfound. In this book," she held it up "there is this page and it gives a spell that will Blow. Your. Mind. It could be the answer to our problem."

"Naomi, that's a –albeit very old- intermediate healing book." She rolled her eyes. "But dad, this" She held up the page with the red writing,  _don't mention the handwriting_  a copy securely tucked in her pocket, "Isn't intermediate. Or healing."

Merlin held the book, brought it closer. "How did you even read this...?" He said while reading it. 

He stopped, and stared at Naomi. She was beaming. He looked back at the spell.

"It doesn’t matter how. But why does this solve anything? It's turns a person invisible and has a twist...? I've never seen something like that. Wait, the _answer_? You think this is going to fix-" He stepped closer, away from Arthur and lowered his voice, "the 'problem'? This is a spell on an object. If any thing will work it will be a spell on- on- something else, something big enough to affect everything. This isn't it."

"No dad. That's not the…" She swung around and started pacing. Arthur leaned on the table, two minutes in and they're already going at it. 

"Look," Naomi continued, swinging her arm to cut the air in front of her, "You know what that twist does, same as I. It say so right there in the margin: 'Turns back the time' That can only be a good thing right?" 

Merlin shakes his head and sits on the edge of the bed, putting his head in his hands. Arthur remembered that Merlin just got in from a long shift at the hospital. 

"Even if that spell works, And!" He shoots down Naomi's hopeful look, "I'm not sure it does. But if it does, how would sending something-"

"Not thing, dad, someone."

Merlin frowned, and leap up, suddenly in her face and angry. "You want to send someone back in time? Oh let me guess, it's you, isn't it? How would that help at all?"

"Ok," And now Naomi just looks downright eager, "So the problem with the Old Religion is that there is no one to control it, no steward, no champion, no one to take care of the magical animals, no one to soothe the spirits, and other religious-y things. Some rituals must be done every year, some every season, and a thousand years of not doing that, of… _wasting_ _away_ , it wears away at the strength of magic. Right?"

Merlin narrows his eyes and nods, his voice still tight, "Right."

“The dream with the white dragon and the blue dragon flying over the forest, I had it again last week.” Merlin opens his mouth.

“Dad, I have to go. For these eggs, for magic itself, and because I believe the Goddess won’t abandon me. I have faith, Dad. Have some too.”

“I can’t. I can’t. I can’t lose you.”

“Dad.”

He sits back down on the bed again, and Naomi sits next to him.

“Dad.” Softly. She knew he was giving in.

 Merlin sighs, and hugs Naomi close to him.

“What do you even expect to do?”

In a soft voice, “I want to go back in time and become High Priestess. I want to save magic.”

Merlin just pulls Naomi closer to him.

“Dad, you know this is right. The only way to make things better.”

“Naomi, this is dangerous. Damn the gods. I’m worried about you.”

“I know. I still have to do this, and you know I have to do this alone.”

Merlin was silent for a while.

“Arthur, what do you think?”

“Me? Well, its not really my place-“

“Your opinion?” Arthur knew it was a good sign when Merlin asks for his opinion. He came over, sits next to the little family on the bed.

“Naomi wants to go back in time- how far?”

“In order to become High Priestess, she would have to be taught by the last one, Morgana.”

Arthur raises his eyebrows, “That sounds dangerous indeed.” _But helpful to magic, which is what they need._

“I approve.”

Merlin smiles to himself. _Of course you do._

“Well then, we have a lot to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost to the end of this part guys!


	5. Preparing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What would you take on a life-changing journey to the past?

Naomi’s List of Things to Bring to the Past:

  *      Camera
  *      Sketch book
  *      Guitar
  *      Enough money so nobody will bother me
  *      Clothes (duh)
  *      A book of advanced spells
  *      A time line that lists who did what (being from the Future ROCKS)
  *      That enchanted map that tells where important things are



 

Things to Absolutely NOT Bring to the Past _and Are You Even Listening Naomi? Yes Dad. Don’t roll your eyes at me._ Pay Attention:

  * Any technology. Yes, including a camera. YES that means your phone. (Did you really think you'd have reception?)
  * Any modern day clothes. Blending in is very important and trust me no one wore Chucks back then.
  * Any spells or books. Magic is not something you want people to know you have.
  * Money. I doubt you have any gold.
  * Anything enchanted. (Especially the map) DoN'T bring it. I don't care how sneaky you think you are. Magic was outlawed, remember?



Things to Remember When You're in Camelot:

  * DON'T tell anyone you are from the future (they won't believe you anyway)
  * Don't let people know you have magic
  * Address strangers as "Lady" and "Sir". (Not "Bro" or "Dude")
  * Be polite. Don't offend anyone.
  * Doing magic counts as offending people.
  * Seriously, magic is outlawed. On pain of death. 



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What would you take if you could time travel?
> 
> Also, mention of an enchanted map is a shout out to Dorian's Lay of the White Hart.
> 
> Slightly different style. I'm thinking about doing more like this. I liked it, tell me if you did.


	6. Ciao/Aloha/Ahoj

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaving and Returning and In-between.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ciao is Italian for hello/bye.  
> Aloha is Haitian for hello/bye.  
> Ahoj is Czech for hello.
> 
> (If you have any other cool words that have double meanings, tell them to me.)

“I’m coming back, Dad.”

Blinding white light envelops Naomi, causing Merlin and Arthur to look away. When it fades, she’s gone, leaving an empty space in the middle of the room.

 

Silence. Merlin’s eyes are wide and wet, not just because of the light.

 

They wait.

_It’s time travel, Dad. I’ll be back not a minute after I’m gone. Don’t worry._

 

Naomi packed light, leaving with only a cloak and the newfound knowledge of horseback riding, which both Arthur and Merlin insisted was necessary.

A minute passes. Then two.

She’s not back. Nothing happens. Arthur thinks Merlin’s eyes will be forever branded in his mind.

 

Arthur never stopped to care what it did to Uthur to lose Morgana, but the look on Merlin’s face tells Arthur everything he wants to know about losing a daughter.

 

He's shouting and pacing, and Arthur is reminded of Naomi a bit. From what Arthur’s seen of their arguments so far, they’re both motion, moving and yelling.

 

I've been short with her, and with you, and with nurses at Great Ormond, and basically with everyone because I've been worried. 

Worried about Naomi and how she's growing up. You see, her mom let her decide where she wanted to live: with her or with me, and when Naomi expressed her magic, floating around the ceiling and such, she decided to live with me and work and learn, but now I'm thinking that it doesn't matter where she goes anymore, her powers will fade anyway. All magic will eventually go; it has a sickness. A sickness that has been festering for a thousand years, and I'm not that good of a healer anyway. Gods know I’ve tried.

Naomi has always been the healer. Even from a young age, she was bringing birds back to life.

 

Wait, back to life?

 

Yeah, Merlin sighed.

 

It looked like he was calming down, his long fingers rubbing circles in his temples.

 

That's her special thing. She has life power. With no price, not that we've seen so far. At first I was worried, of course, because of- _life for a life._

_No! Take me!_ _Take mine instead!_

…Because of old memories. But the truth is, it's a common enough power for those blessed by the Triple Goddess. And now, this plan to go

become High Priestess, I should have seen it coming, I should have known, even if I couldn't have stopped her, I should have known.

 

Merlin is crying, almost. Black hair a mess and red, splotchy eyes.

Arthur does the only thing that he can, the only thing anyone can do.

 

Arthur reaches out, grabbing Merlin’s arm, and gently pulls him away from the space they cleared for Naomi’s spell, now only an empty

reminder. Pulls Merlin to sit on the bed next to him, laying his arm around his shoulders, cradling Merlin's head. 

 

 

What are you supposed to say?

 

 

They stayed like that for two hours, not sure if they were still waiting. Eventually, Merlin shifted, moving them to lay more on the bed, kind of curling up in Arthur’s lap. Arthur noticed Merlin never broke contact.

 

For two hours, Arthur stared at the ceiling, the sight of Merlin’s black hair always at the edge of his sight.

 

 

They waited for two hours.

 

 

 

When Naomi came back, it happened suddenly. The floor glowed and bulging leather bags materialized in mounds on the ground. The air shined, and Naomi appeared, a white dragon curled around her.

 

Merlin jumped up, dragging Arthur with him.

 

Naomi’s hair billowed in dark curls full of leaves and twigs. _was it longer?_ Her dress was dark maroon, with a lace corset. Muddy boots and black stockings visible underneath her skirt.

 

Arthur was the first to speak, but it was in shock. “Naomi.”

 

She nodded, her face pale, and drawn, her arms clutching her midriff.

Her hand gingerly cradled a dagger hilt.

 

Arthur knew he had stopped breathing, but he couldn’t feel his lungs.

 

Blood drips down her hand, catching Arthur’s eye.

 

Naomi falls.

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing. Feel free to tell me how it is.


End file.
